Indonesia’s Historic Poll

Indonesia’s first ever presidential election is a massive enterprise, with more than 150 million eligible voters spread across 14,000 islands and three time zones. Presidential elections were held in Indonesia on July 5, and September 20, 2004. In the second round former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono defeated incumbent President Megawati Sukarnoputri. Yudhoyono was inaugurated on October 20. The second round of Indonesia’s historic first direct presidential election has taken place successfully, in a general atmosphere of calm, order, and open participation. This represents a major step in the country’s ongoing democratic transition.